What's Right about Loving All People

God loves people of every race and language, and He wants everyone to be one Body "where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all in all" (Col. 3:11). When the church is right on the race and cultural issues, it reflects the Body that God intends it to be.*

David Anderson says in his book Multicultural Ministry: Finding Your Church's Unique Rhythm, "Heaven may include every culture, every tongue, and tribe, but in the United States, Sunday morning remains one of the last bastions of ethnic separation."

The Bible teaches that God has made all men equal.  When we stand at the foot of the cross, we stand there as men (and women) created by God, who inherited the sin nature (from Adam and Eve), in need of a Savior.  God does not see different ethnicities, social levels, financial areas, or any other man-made divisions. He only sees those who are believers and those who are non-believers. The saved and the lost.

The church believes:

• All are created in the image of God (see Gen. 1:27)
• All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (see Rom. 3:23)
• Jesus died for all (see 2 Cor. 5:15)
• All can be saved and be a full member of the Body of Christ (see 1 Cor. 12:27)
• All are fellow workers in the mission of Jesus Christ on this earth (see Col. 4:11)**

As we close this musing today, consider what the Scriptures say about this scene in Heaven of men and women of every tribe, tongue, and nation - 

"And they sang a new song, saying:

'You are worthy to take the scroll,

And to open its seals;

For You were slain,

And have redeemed us to God by Your blood

Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

And have made us kings and priests to our God;

And we shall reign on the earth.'” (Rev. 5: 9-10, NKJV)

* Towns, Elmer L. (2009) What's Right with the Church: A manifesto of Hope. Regal/Ventura CA. p164
** ibid. 172